You’re so hilarious I actually laughed out loud while sitting at a Panera and reading this, but at the same time you’re a little scary! I would always want to be on your good side.
Try having a name like Preeti Gupta. Everyone tries to pronounce it as “pretty”. And then they make the usual jokes of “ wow your parents must’ve thought you were really good looking” or “that’s a pretty name” or “ pretty please” or the bullying “ yes you’re pretty, pretty UGLY” and laugh uproariously as if it’s something I haven’t heard 1 million times before. Or how about this one which makes fun of both of my names and is usually said with a fake Indian accent and annoying nod of the head ” pretty good to meet you” as in “Preeti Gupta to meet you”.
Thanks to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the CNN medical correspondent, my last name isn’t as much of an issue anymore but my first name still is.
It’s pronounced like teeth-y but with a Pr. I think 90% of non-Indians have never been able to pronounce it correctly, even after knowing me for years. But I also got the jokes on top of that.
I sympathize with you Shani-rhymes-with-Rainy, and enjoyed the article, but my annoying bad name can beat up your annoying bad name any day!
